Family & General Dentistry

Dove Dental Group Is For The Whole Family

From ages 2-92, we are here to help your family reach their best oral health. We realize every age demographic has different needs, wants, and risk factors. We tailor each and every exam to match patient expectations with treatment recommendations. Our treatment recommendations are ones we would make for our own family members.

Our foundational goal for every patient is to assist with oral health care, not just filling cavities. We are here to encourage good oral hygiene techniques, help modify diet patterns, assess acid and sugar exposure risk, prevent dry mouth, and so much more.

Have you ever gone to the dentist and had to see multiple specialists out of town? We realize this is inconvenient for patients. By continuing to take continuing education all year long, Dove Dental Group’ dentists help patients get the general dentistry care they need right here in the office.

If you would like to schedule your family today, we can conveniently schedule appointments so multiple family members can be seen at the same time.

Family Dentistry Services

Dental Examinations

Adults: We offer two types of exams for adults, Comprehensive exams and Limited Focused Exams.

During a Comprehensive Exam, we will do all the necessary recording, photographs, X-rays, and charting. A cleaning type will be recommended and offered during this appointment. Our goal is for you to address your chief concern and formulate a long-term plan to achieve oral health.

A Limited Focused Exam is for patients experiencing a dental emergency, a toothache, a broken tooth, or who just want Dr. Dove to take a look at a specific concern. We will be happy to get a treatment recommendation together to address that concern. When patients are in pain, we realize it is important to help alleviate that pain as soon as possible.

Children: We offer “Happy Visits” for all children under the age of 12. At this appointment, your child will receive an exam, a cleaning, X-rays as needed, and a fluoride treatment. Of course we have a treasure chest, cartoons, and music. We try to keep this appointment as “happy” as possible: no dental treatment, no shots, nothing that should cause tears. We want to help parents instill a very positive experience for their children that will set them up for a lifetime of healthy dental visits.

Gum Therapy

Each patient at Nixa Smiles gets a comprehensive gum evaluation as part of our examination protocol. While each patient is different, we recommend at least two professional cleanings a year including polishing and a fluoride treatment. Patients that haven’t had a dental cleaning regularly will occasionally require gum therapy. We are happy to address all these concerns and help each patient achieve oral health.

With good home care that includes brushing twice a day, flossing and regular check-ups, patients can help prevent cavities and gum disease.

White Fillings

White fillings, before and after

All of our fillings are placed with dependable, research-tested tooth-colored filling material. Our fillings help bond the tooth together rather than splitting it apart like the older silver materials. Better filling techniques and materials help Nixa Smiles’ fillings have less leakage and last longer than a traditional filling. They blend in seamlessly with the tooth to give a natural healthy looking smile. Goodbye ugly silver! Hello natural!

Crowns

A crown is a tooth-shaped cap that covers and seals a tooth. Why would a patient need a crown? While there are many reasons a tooth may need a crown, several reasons include broken or cracked tooth, very large cavity, deep fracture line, discoloration, severe wear, or previous root canal.

A tooth-colored crown helps prevent a tooth from breaking or cracking

Our crowns are made of all porcelain, no metal showing, and therefore are less resistant to fracturing.

Onlay and Inlays

An inlay or an onlay are options that falls between a filling and a crown. They are larger than a filling, but smaller than a crown. They last longer than a filling, but are less stressful to a tooth than a crown. While not for everyone, this sometimes is the perfect in-between option for a patient. Ask Dr. Dove if this may be an option for you. We strive to offer all options to patients to get the best care they deserve.

Bridges

If a patient is missing one or more teeth, a bridge is an option to replace the missing teeth. The missing tooth is replaced by an artificial tooth, which is therefore supported by crowns on the adjacent teeth.

While bridges are becoming less popular due to dental implants, there are many cases in which a bridge is a very good long-term option for a missing tooth.

Immediate bridges are available for patients needing an extraction and concerned about being without a tooth.

At Nixa Smiles, patients are showed different options, advantages, and disadvantages for implants and or bridges when replacing missing teeth.

Replacing a missing tooth is an important decision and we want to help you be able to make a well-educated decision for both your mouth and wallet.

Dentures

At Nixa Smiles, we offer both full and partial dentures. These options are can be removed from the mouth and care is taken to make them look as natural as possible.

Implant supported dentures are also available for patients looking for a more stable option. At Nixa Smiles, we offer both full and partial dentures. These options are can be removed from the mouth and care is taken to make them look as natural as possible.

Two types of full dentures are made at Nixa Smiles. The first is a “conventional” denture. Conventional dentures are made for patients, without teeth, to replace an old worn out denture or a lost one. The second type of denture is an “immediate” denture. Immediate dentures are popular options for patients with teeth looking into dentures. An immediate denture would be made first, prior to the teeth being removed, and would be given to the patient the day of the surgery. Immediate dentures are popular because a patient wouldn’t have to go without teeth while healing from surgery.

Whether you are thinking about a conventional or immediate denture, we promise to take great care in custom making your teeth to fit for comfort, aesthetics, and longevity. While dentures have their ups and downs, our experience with many patients gives us the confidence to provide you with teeth you will enjoy for a long time to come.

If you have struggled with dentures in the past or are looking into a better long-term option, we encourage patients to invest in dental implants. Implant supported dentures are highly recommended to prevent many of the common issues associated with wearing dentures. Implants under a denture allow for much more stability in the mouth. While the denture no longer moves around, patients are able to have better stability, comfort, speech, taste, and convenience. There are several different types of options and price ranges available for patients considering dental implants.

Root Canals

No one wants to hear the words root canal. We understand. Sometimes they are necessary to preserve the tooth. How do we make this easier for our patients at Nixa Smiles? The answer is state of the art instruments that are more efficient and gentler than the reputation of previous decade root canals. Many patients say getting a root canal in our office similar to getting a filling done.